


masquerade

by withluvsan (lostlovelis)



Series: The King's Arc [1]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Hongjoong!Musician, Hongjoong!Servant, M/M, Seonghwa!Prince, but i did mention their physical features, but i tried, hongjoong is the violinist, i don't mention their names, inspired by lindsey stirling's masquerade song, no beta we die like men, poorly wrote, seonghwa is a bored prince, they meet in a ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26755975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostlovelis/pseuds/withluvsan
Summary: As soon as the clock hit midnight, the man bowed one last time, taking his time to look at every masked face before walking away.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: The King's Arc [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026781
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	masquerade

The line between the nobles and the servants was draw pretty easily.

You could see the way they danced around, dodging the waves of bodies and making their way without a drop of sweat. They were flawless, and the Prince was mesmerized once again by the perfection of his servants.

The many men and women walked around without letting fall a pastry or drink, impeccably dressed on their official uniforms and faces hiding behind their black masks.

-Our Highness, you look stunning tonight – the woman seemed too artificial to bring him to care about her compliment. He had heard it a hundred times in a span of an evening and was growing tired of his fake guests.

-Thank you, my lady, but I fear I am nowhere close to you beauty – he bowed respectfully, sighing in annoyance before getting up again – I fear I have other people to talk to now. Please, make yourself entertained with everything we are happily providing – and then he walked away, not giving time for the woman to retort.

His white and gold suit was itching and his gray-ish hair was sticking on his forehead because of the warm season. The prince cursed silently at whoever gave his older sister the idea of throwing a masked ball in such a weather.

-I heard he is from the northern kingdom, and came upon the princess request – the loud gossip could be heard around the hall, all about the musician the princess was able to bring from one of her travels in negotiation with the northern king.

Minji had told her brother about the musician. A man of few possessions who traveled alone and played at any place where he could eat something and have a night of rest.

“ _His music is so pure. You must hear it. I’ve never heard such a beautiful melody before._ ”

And there the said man was, holding his violin gracefully and waiting for his moment.

When the hall fell in silence, he started moving his hands along with the strings, the bow pulling out the saddest melody the prince had ever heard.

It hit him like a wave of sorrow at first, dancing around his body like steam and taking away his breath.

The high-pitched notes gave him the sensation of despair, the grief for losing something so precious that his life had no more meaning.

The musician had his eyes closed, a lonely tear running down his pale cheeks and his black hair covered his eyes, even if they were already hidden under his mask.

The prince felt himself shiver at the intensity of the music, his heart rate rising and hands shaking. He hadn’t noticed the small tears that clung onto his eyelashes and marked his cheeks, no. He was too focused on the musician.

The sounds floated around the room leaving nothing more than pure exasperation and woe. The crowd of kings, queens, lords and ladies were in a trance, watching the musician’s every move with caution and admiration.

A piece brought another, and another. The night passing outside of the hall and the moon watching as the musician kept the people wrapped around his finger only by doing what he loved the most.

And then the clock hit midnight.

As soon as the clock hit midnight, the man bowed one last time, taking his time to look at every masked face before walking away.

The prince saw him disappear into the garden, but couldn’t catch him.

Instead, he found the musician’s mask laying on the ground, side by side with the same thin coat the man was wearing.

-My Prince? – the said man got startled by the sudden call turning on his feet to stare at the small servant who held a small wood box on his hands – May I help you? – the prince didn’t answer, shaking his head before dismissing his servant with a polite smile.

-If my sister asks for me, tell her that I’ll be on my chamber – the servant nodded, turning away a little too eagerly, his mask slipping from his face and falling on the grass soundlessly.

-My apologies – the servant put the box on the ground and took the mask back, but the prince saw it. He saw the man’s red eyes and a few tears lingering on his eyelashes. He saw the pain, the sorrow and the grief, but he also saw something he couldn’t describe.

When the servant put back the mask, the prince understood.

The black mask, the black hair hiding the man’s eyes. It was so obvious but also so ambiguous.

-I’ll be heading back now, my prince – but the prince didn’t let him. He held the man’s arm before he could crunch down to take back the box.

-You are him. You are the musician – the prince saw the panic that rose behind the man’s eyes. The servant took a step back and bowed respectfully.

-I am sorry, my king, but I am afraid you made a mistake – and the man left.

The prince never saw that servant again, but the mask and the coat were securely guarded on his wardrobe

**Author's Note:**

> i am not THAT active, but follow me on twt! i'll appreciate :D
> 
> @withluvsan


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